I am human.
No, didnt you liken Rosaline to flour?
Oh, you an that? Rosaline nodded.
Anyway, I will just think of the you before as flour, the main ingredient for the cake, only for this mont.
Understood.
Im not entirely clear, but if thats what His Highness says, its the truth.
Rosaline Radwiell.
Yes, Your Highness.
Ricardis looked at her with a solemn face.
I say this to your past self, he took hold of Rosalines hands.
For everything, I am grateful.
Ricardis closed his eyes and bowed his head; his hold was not painful but was instead a firm and comforting grip enveloping her hand.
Rosaline looked at him intentlythe prince of the empire, Ricardis, was bowing to her what a bizarre sight.
Ricardis looked up after a while, his expression complex and filled with subtle nuances. He hesitated for a mont before finally uttering his thoughts.
What would Rosaline have thought of my words?
Im not sure, but since I am also Rosaline, can I share my thoughts?
Its alright, go ahead.
Well, my heart skipped a beat, and As Rosaline spoke, Ricardis furrowed his eyebrows and forced a smile. I thought sothing was hurting you.
Ah, why did she suddenly ntion being hurt They say people are odd when theyre about to die These words must have been a result of that peculiar state.
Ricardis let go of her hand as embarrassnt rose on his previously sorrow-filled face.
I didnt expect you to be sad or burst into tears, but I genuinely spoke my heart with such indescribable sincerity! He turned away, his temper rising. But anyway, thank you!
[T/N: It took a few minutes to understand this part. Rosaline interpreted Ricardis bowing his head as a sign of distress and comnted, I thought sothing was hurting you. Ricardis, anticipating a teary response from his heartfelt words of gratitude directed at the past Rosaline, felt embarrassed upon hearing Rosalines playful reply. His thoughtsThey say people are odd when theyre about to die These words must have been a result of that peculiar state stemd from his belief that Rosaline was speaking on behalf of the past Rosaline and implying that she had lost her sanity monts before her death, which caused her to reply to his gratitude with I thought sothing was hurting you.]
Truthfully, as Rosaline watched him retreat, there were things shed left unsaid. Her senses took her back in ti as mories of the days spent watching that back flooded her mind Rosalines mories.
From when she was still immature to those dangerous tis when she fought for her life Those days when everything was dazzlingly beautiful and those when shed cried to herself miserably but through it all, Ricardis presence interweaved with every mont of Rosalines life.
In every scene, if she felt sad, the mory was dyed with sadness; if she felt joy, that emotion painted her mory her heart contained overwhelming happiness and aching sadness. Those blossoming emotions sprout in the ever-flowing river of ti, gleaming in a blur of color.
Maybe its a aningless feeling since its already passed, but still, the depths of her heart were filled so much with such sparkling and beautiful emotions
How should she describe it? Rosaline couldnt quite figure it out.
In the distance, Rosaline heard voices calling out to them the Knights of the White Knight were searching for the two who had suddenly disappeared from their positions. Ricardis turned around and looked at her. Their eyes t as Rosaline stood by his side with a smile.
***
A new day dawned, and as people filled the once-empty space, the atmosphere instantly changed. The large clearing bustled with activity as nobles, aristocrats, guests from other countries, knights, soldiers, and servants filled it.
So nobles briefly recalled a few months ago when the Black Moon assassins infiltrated with nefarious intentions. The location, place, and timing had no connection, yet the event of a hunting competition vaguely stirred unease.
However, this place was not the border zone where the incident had occurred. They were in Tigard, the capital of Illavenia a place where those who believed in the ominous power of magic had to tread lightly and the distance from Balta was far enough for everyone to feel relieved.
Moreover, this mountain had been under strict observation for weeks. rcenaries and huntsn regularly patrolled and handled any potential threats. Neither suspicious individuals nor hidden monsters could escape their watchful eyes. It could be jokingly said that this mountain was the second safest place after the Illavenian Imperial Palace.
Ricardis gazed expressionlessly at the sight of noblewon walking around with fans. Why were there so many events happening within a month? It was becoming tireso.
You should smile, Your Highness, Isserion murmured behind Ricardis. Do you realize how aningful your expression is right now? People passing by are glancing at you. Isserions lips remained unmoving, like a ventriloquists dummy.
Isnt it foolish to be smiling when theres nothing special happening?
Everyone is smiling like fools. If you want to hide in the forest, youll have to gain the ability to beco a tree.
As he said, everyone was smiling like fools, whether out of reverence for the Emperors presence or genuine enjoynt of the hunting tournant.
A group of passing nobles turned their heads toward Ricardis. He quickly t Isserions gaze and forced a carefree smile.
Hahaha! Humans, I tell you!
Oh dear, what did I say, Your Highness!
Their laughter was a foolish sound that seamlessly blended into their surroundings without any awkwardness. The nobles looked at Ricardis and then began conversing among themselves. Ricardis abruptly stopped laughing.
What are they doing?
A group of priests dressed in white robes caught their attention. Most likely, they were drafted from the temple to attend to any potential injuries. When Laheansi nearly tripped on a cobblestone, young priests nearby hurriedly grabbed hold of him, but they all ended up tumbling down.
As everyone pretended not to notice or discreetly chuckled, Ricardis expression hardened again. Isserion placed a hand on his forehead.
The incident reminded him of the discovery of a priests body in the Imperial forest. The looming danger was so close and still unknown. Even with Rosalines power, Macarons existence, and his own abilities, it was impossible to gauge the magnitude of the situation, so his unease did not subside.
Ricardis sharply scanned his surroundings and spotted Rosaline. She had her eyes squinted and was crookedly leaning against a tree. It was a sight imbibed with the laziness of a cat bathing in the sunlight. Ricardis couldnt help but raise the corners of his mouth, unable to suppress his smile.
Thats it, Your Highness! Isserion murmured from behind.
It was a warm smile that could lt a thousand-year-old block of ice, but Ricardis was too focused on Rosaline to hear him.
Rosaline, Shuten, and Claude would participate in the hunting competition as representatives of the Knights of the White Night. While Claude and Shuten were busy checking their equipnt in the distance, Rosaline seed at ease alone. Instead, the other knights checked Rosalines sword and arrows and prepared extra supplies in their spare ti. Raymond firmly attached an extra bag to Rosalines belt, and Nestor inspected the saddle of Rosalines warhorse, Chocolate.
It was fortunate that everyone seed to get along well. Ricardis deliberately brushed past that unusual sight.
As Rosaline watched the knights bustling around, she discreetly extracted so dried at from her extra bag. She took a large piece of the jerky and slowly closed her eyes as she savored it. It seed to be a perfect fit for her taste buds.
Ricardis approached her. Even with closed eyes, Rosaline seed to have sensed his presence, as she showed no signs of surprise when his voice resounded clearly.
Is it delicious?
Rosaline opened her eyes and retrieved another piece of jerky with a triumphant smile before handing it to Ricardis. Ricardis imdiately put the jerky in his mouth without receiving it with his hand. It was chewy, tender, slightly salty, and delicious. It seed of higher quality than the jerky distributed as rations.
Its delicious. Rosaline nodded emphatically. Its the finest jerky thats dried in a sea breeze. It may appear completely dried out, but it has a chewy texture and a rich aroma and saltiness of the dried at. Its brushed with honey and juice during the three drying stages, which gives it a subtle sweetness. It surpasses the overall taste of jerky and makes your mouth water.
Ricardis felt slightly bewildered as he had expected a simple response like Its delicious. He had noticed since yesterday that Rosalines vocabulary had significantly expanded. Upon reflection, he realized that improvent seed limited to food-related terms, but still. Ricardis chuckled. Well, it was enough that she found it tasty.
Of course, Nathan advised Rosaline not to snack while on duty. She used to follow such rules obediently, but now he could faintly feel the heat of her rebellious spark.
Isnt the point of fasting to maintain focus while on the job, Deputy Commander? Even while eating, I can still maintain my focus!
Her words did not work, and she was getting scolded even more.
But His Highness also had so.
The include-my-boss strategy didnt work, and Rosaline remained in deep trouble.
***
Rosaline, who was inspecting the dangers around Ricardis tent, was interrupted by the arrival of a man.
I am Jurenz of the Lasso rcenary Corps, Your Highness.
As he knelt, his stern gaze clearly showed his displeasure. Ricardis was sure this ashen-haired man was Macaron, even without an introduction.
People who arent very close to usually call Juju. You can call that.
And what about those who are close to you?
I dont have any. Im just that unpleasant of a person.
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